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COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



POEMS 



BY 



ELIZABETH KATZ 




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LIBRARY of CONGRESS 

Two Copies Received 

FEB 23 1^09 

j^ Copyrtfcnt Entry 
^LASS CU XXC No. 
COPY '^3. 



T63521 

H'1 



Copyright, igog 

BY 

ELIZABETH KATZ 



These Verses are Lovingly 

Dedicated to My Friend 

BERTA PAISLEY MEBANE 



THE LILY 

The Lily speaks in accents soft of 

Life and Truth and Love 
And of a heaven far above 

All sense of discord and of pain, 
Where men are healed and hope swells up again. 

T is the Resurrection hour 
And from within this pearl-like flower 

Comes the incense from above 
Wafted down on the wings of Love, 

Beckoning man aside from the weary paths of 
sin. 
Saying, gently saying, Enter thou in. 

For the door stands open wide. 
Bidding us come inside 

This vestibule to heaven's eternal home, 
And there to stay, never more from the Father's 
House to roam. 



The Father's House is boundless Love, 
Around, about, above. 

Infinite — Freedom giving 
To those who in their lives are living 

Reflections of the Parent Mind 
And through His glory ever shine. 



THE CALL 

The Truth which cometh down from heaven to 
heal 
Was by a woman hidden in three measures of 
meal. 
Till now the lump is rising high 

To meet the Lord and His Christ in the sky. 
And Jerusalem which is the Mother of us all 
Is sending forth the mighty call, "Come up 
hither/' 
Where Truth and Love unite 
In a vesture pure and white. 

Come ye wedding guest 

To your blessed Saviour's rest 
And out from that high and holy habitation 
Shall flow the world's salvation. 



MY ROSE 

My rose, my rose, 
In the sunshine fair it grows. 

In my garden, in my garden. 
And I bury my face in its fragrant grace and beg 
its pardon. 



But when men's thoughts shall 
Be illumined with things divine 

This rose of mine 
Shall raise its head and sing 

Oh ! give me joy and bliss 
For higher things. 



A "Smile from God," a kiss, a breath 
To light the wanderer, save from death. 

And then ascending up to God as incense rare, 
Going to Him who giveth all and hath to spare. 



SPRING 

I HEAR the birds twitter and sing 
With the first fair breath of Spring. 

Love doth a wonderous picture make 
For every one who will but take 

The bounty from her hand, 

In this beautiful flowering land. 

Spring doth call me, 

It makes my soul long to be free 
To "bud and blossom as the rose," 

To melt all trace of winter snows, 
To rise, to rise into newness of life, 

To still the murmur of sorrow and strife. 

For me, for me the world is bright 

Everything sparkles with color and light, 

For love, for love is in my heart, 
And I long this joy to impart 

And everlasting freshness give 

My part of earth, that all may live. 
9 



TO ALICE McC. S. WHITE 

The flower of our friendship blossoms and grows, 
Like the fragrant rose. 

Sending out its perfume sweet, 
Making a love-strewn path for friendship's feet. 



II 



TO A. E. S. 
GOD IS ALL IN ALL 

God is with us all the way, 

God is with us when we pray 
The understanding prayer. 

Knowing that God is here and everywhere. 
For God is Life and Life is all, 

Blessing those who upon Him call 
'' In spirit and in truth," 

Giving us perennial youth. 
God is your life and mine. 

And will cause His light to shine 
Through us as transparencies clear 

When we have rid ourselves of fear, 
And holy, fearless walk the earth 

Waiting for the higher birth. 



13 



SAFETY 

If I am pure, and walk in the footsteps of the 
Master — 

No harm can come to me, 
For His is the way of Salvation sure; 

And is for me and thee. 

For through His chosen Messenger the way to-day 
is plain. 
For he said the Comforter would come to us 
again. 
So hand in His I walk the way of deliverance 
sure. 
Promised to those whose hearts are pure. 



15 



POSING 

Don't pose 
But to thyself expose thy every fault. 

So that you may exalt 
The perfect idea 

So pure and clean 

Then all mankind may see 
The Christ expressed in thee 

And thou a pattern be 
Of that which posing would only 

Seemingly make of thee. 



17 



"MAMMY'S" BOY 

"Mammy" strolled about the town 
Her kerchief and cap so neat, and so trim her 
gown, 
And by her side with collar big and trowsers 
small 
Was her little charge, now grown tall. 
"Mos a man" Mammy would say 
In her fond caressing way. 



Mammy would like to see her boy 
And hear about his latest " toy. " 

At school he soon tired and would not stay 
And now in an office is making his way. 

He likes his work, 
And does not his duty shirk — 

"Mammy's boy." 

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His promise for the future is bright 
And if he will in the Way walk right, 

Some day Mammy may point with pride 
To the little man who once walked by her side 

In the dear Southern town, 
Where such happy memories cluster "roun." 



I LAUGH, I PRAY, I SING, I DANCE 

I LAUGH, I pray, I sing, I dance, 

And if the Father hears perchance 
The accent of my melody so faint, 

I shall be turned into the likeness of a saint. 
And have my name writ in the book 

Where all the world may come and look. 
And say her song was heard, 

For she meekly piped her roundelay like some 
woodland bird. 

I laugh, I pray, I sing, I dance. 

Who can wake me from this trance? 
It is not a trance, it is the Truth 

That holds me by the hand forsooth, 
And leads me to the Golden Gate 

Of Love, who is ever there to wait 
The entrance of the angel band 

Who have not let go the Father' s^hand. 



23 



ON VIOLETS BROUGHT ME BY MY FATHER 

Oh those fragrant violets blue, 

So often when I think, father dear, of you, 
My heart melts with tears. 

And sweet quietude allays all fears. 

Oh, those violets sweet. 

My whole heart goes out to meet 
The perfume of hearts' desire 

And makes my thought aspire. 

To broader views of things 

The voice within me soars and sings 

Till it would almost burst the bounds 
Of audible sounds. 

And fill immensity fair. 

With perfume so exquisitely rare, 
Reaching the Father's House above. 

Whose fragrance, all encompassing, is — Love. 

25 



i8o8— 1908 

TO GREENSBORO— NORTH CAROLINA 

Greensboro is soon to celebrate her hundredth 
birthday, 

And I should like to write a little lay 
That would immortaHze this paradise 

Which lies so near my heart 
And sing a song that would resound 

The whole world round. 

From our General of Revolutionary fame 
It gained its bright and honored name, 
And ever fresh with verdure fair 

Nature with her naming seemed to share. 
Dear Friends I love you all and feel that you 
have the right 
To call upon your children anywhere 
To sing your praises far and near. 
27 



Your large industries and culture rare cannot 
be surpassed 
But will compare with our brothers the wide 
world o'er 
Who on the blessed wings of progress soar. 
I will close my song with a little prayer 
Asking Greensboro's children everywhere 

To unite with me in saying, God bless you 
To our dear town so true. 



29 



THE OCEAN 

I LOVE to Steal from the city 

And roam by the ocean's breast, 
To watch it in all its varying moods 

In its gorgeous changes drest. 

O ! I love it so. 

Where the breezes blow soft and low — 
And the clouds float by in the golden sky — 

And the water sings a lullaby, 
As the gulls skim over the crest and fly. 

Music sweet fills the air 

And drives from my mind all care. 
The silver moon rises o'er the water in all its 
purity — 

God for all the world is surety. 



PATMOS 

Come into the sunlight with me, 

Then all the dream shadows will flee 

And man himself will see 
The universe as it is to be. 

The beloved disciple saw 

God's word fulfilled in Spirit's law 
And from the rocky island bare 

Gave of his bounty fair. 

His pure thought touched the Heart divine 
And of its glorious hidden mine 

Did pour upon the earth treasures rare, 
Jewels beyond compare. 

Until in time fulfilment came: 

The mystery taken from His Holy name 
As was declared by the angel of old 

Who to John this wonderous story told. 

33 



The "little book" has come to light 
Making everything in God's universe bright, 

Making all of the promises true, 
As the Father said in His word He would do. 



35 



IF I ASSOCIATE WITH KINGS 

My kinsmen before I was born associated with 
Kings, 

Why think you it notable that 
I should do such things? 

One the Emperor's health, 
The other the King's wealth 

Did supply. 
So why should not I 

Give unto Emperor and King 
The most valued treasure that any one can bring. 

The understanding of eternal Life 

Made clear by the Bride the Lamb's wife — 

The Church triumphant stands, 

For the guidance of this and other lands. 

So why should not I associate with Emperor and 
King, 

And place upon their hand the ring 
Of which the parable spake, 

Should be given those whom all sin forsake ? 
37 



TO FANNIE S. F. 

REFRESHMENT 

Oh gentle cup which drops the dew upon the 
waiting earth 
Bathing the tiny blades of grass, bringing them 
into fuller birth. 
Oh waiting earth may the shower not delay 

Thy stains of sin to wash away 
And leave thee pure and clean 
Regenerated, freed from all that is base, and 
mean 
Stretch out thine arms and breathe again the air 
of heaven, O ye sons of men. 



39 



TO JULIA HOMESLEY 

Sweet as the Lily-of-the-Valley 

Hidden in its folds of green, 
Looking unto the Eternal, the perfect Mind now 
seen, 
And saying, Father am I worthy to upon thee 
call. 
A voice within whispers, 
God is All. 



41 



THE DOVE 

It lay in the street wounded and bleeding 
The passers-by scarcely heeding 

The piteous appeal of Love. 
Baring its breast as the dove 

(To awaken the sleeper!) 

The dove cannot ever stay, 

But with the noon of day, 
Will fly from whence her heahng came — 

And there are no more lame. 

So dear children in the street 
Skipping along with careless feet, 

Let us minister of our love 
To the wounded stricken dove. 

What the dove desired to do 
Was to awaken me and you, 

43 



To lift our hearts in skyward flight 
Away from the dark tempestuous night. 

And for this the dove her breast did bare 
To meet the storm and tempest there, 

To save ! to save ! through love's appeal^ 
And the perfect to reveal. 



45 



MY SON 

Rock me to sleep again, Mother, just as you used 
to do, 
When I am tired and weary my thought reaches 
out to you, 
Always with confidence strengthened by com- 
munion with you, Mother dear. 
All the world seems a garden of flowers with 
never a trace of fear. 
Oh how good it is to nestle close. Mother dear. 
And hear your sweet words of counsel and cheer. 
Let merest in your love and strong enough 
grow 
To take other nestlings and fondle them so. 

Until finding the great Parent above 
Whose one blessed name is Mother-Love. 



47 



FROM MORTAL SENSE MADE FREE 

Restless, ill at ease, 

Like hunger ne'er appeased 
Is the mortal sense of things, 

And its striving never brings 
Within our grasp the real and true; 

It is the higher aim that brings 
The pure and good to view. 

The longing from this miserable self to be free — 
Toward the dayspring our weary eyes begin to 
see 

The rays of risen light 
Which will lift us from the shadows of the night. 



49 



ONE ETERNAL MIND 

There is one eternal mind 

That governeth all things well. 
And of its glories endless 

We always love to tell. 

Of how the Father, Mother Love 
Lifts our thought to realms above. 

Envelops us in endless Life, 
And takes out of the world all pain and strife. 

And calls "Come Unto Me'' 

Where all the shadows flee. 
And man forever dwells in Life's infinity. 



51 



STARS 

Stars, stars with their gleaming light 

Shining far into the night. 
So can we be like the stars 

Giving light through countless hours. 
The star which heralds the perfect day 

Has many quahties in its ray. 
Life, Truth, and Love reflected are 

By this bright and beautiful star. 



TO MISS BERRYMAN 

I LOOKED through the gladiolus and behold 

Elizabeth stood ! 
In her sweet womanhood. 



53 



TO JOHN 

BOYS 

Boys, boys, full of nonsense and noise, 
But we love them, we love them, the dear little 
boys. 

They are so noble and so true 
And when reproved they look at you, 

With their eyes of brown or blue, 
And say — We are boys, only boys. 

So on goes the song of the dear little boys, 
Of their pleasures, and sorrows. 
Their trials and joys. 

Until into manhood they grow. 
And we still love them so — 
The boys, the larger boys. 



55 



TO ELIZABETH ROTH 
IN A GARDEN FAIR 

In a Garden Fair, 

By a brooklet there, 
Stood a little Miss, 

Her lips pursed for a kiss. 
From the Fairy Maiden 

With joy laden 
Under the water there. 

Come with me, she pleaded, 
But the Fairy never heeded. 

When on the face so fair and ''roun' 
There appeared a tiny frown, 

When suddenly bursting into glee. 
She exclaimed, "The fairy is meV 



57 



WE ARE BELLS, IN ORDER 

The bells, which chime sweet music from Spirits 

holy place. 
Tell the story of blessedness in every upturned 

face. 
We chime and chime together 
And out o'er the fields of heather 
Comes the music of the bells 
Over hill and over dell. 
And it ever bears the message 
Sweetly sung throughout all time, 
But is ever coming nearer 
As we join the holy chime 
And Hke a mighty chorus, in a belfry high, 
We each a bell in order 
Sing to our Father in the sky. 



59 



FEB 23 , nm 



